GUELPH, ON, Aug. 2, 2011 /CNW/ - Today, The Co-operators announced $115,800 in grants to 11 emerging Canadian co-operatives. The funding is provided through The Co-operators Foundation Co-operative Development Program that supports the development of new and expanding co-operatives across the country.

"Co-operation among co-operatives is one of the seven principles that all co-ops adhere to," explained Kathy Bardswick, President and CEO of The Co-operators. "As one of the larger co-ops in the country, we are proud to support smaller local co-ops that will put this money to great use in improving the quality of life in their communities."

The following grants were announced today:

Dominion Newspaper Co-operative - Halifax, NS
The Dominion Newspaper is an investigative, grass roots news network that covers events in Canada and Canada's role in the world. The grant of $9,000 will be used to maintain and expand the coverage of reported stories by helping the co-op to double its number of supporters through the creation and implementation of an outreach strategy.

Coopérative de travail du Collège des Hauts Sommets - Saint-Tite-des-Caps, QC
The school's educational system focuses on the success of young people and provides personalized services to students. The school welcomes students from all regions in Quebec, some of which are referred by psychologists, social workers, or youth centres. All of this has allowed the school to achieve a 0% dropout rate. The grant of $15,000 will allow Collège des Hauts Sommets to provide different types of training to its staff members.

Ensemble.coop  - Trois-Rivières, QC
Ensemble.coop is a solidarity co-op that has as its mission to create a space for co-operation among co-operatives in Quebec, to enhance their sustainable development and to link them to citizens in order to expand the co-operative economy. The grant of $10,000 will be used for the promotion of the co-op's services as well as the creation of a documentary about co-operatives in Quebec.

Funeral Co-operative of Ottawa Inc. - Ottawa, ON
The Funeral Co-operative of Ottawa's mission is to provide a complete range of funeral arrangements guided by quality services, compassion and pricing on a not-for-profit basis. The co-op's Board has developed a new model that holds significant potential for other communities across Canada. The grant of $15,000 will assist it in further developing this new business model.

By the Bushel Community Food Co-op Inc. - Peterborough, ON
By the Bushel is a not-for-profit co-operative that focuses on creating a sustainable local food system by producing and selling ecologically-responsible food that is accessible to its members. The grant of $6,500 will be used to develop and implement a marketing strategy to promote the co-op's new services.

ParIT Worker Co-op - Winnipeg, MB
ParIT offers technical services for co-operatives, community-based organizations and small businesses to adopt free software. It also provides installation, support, customization, and integration of free software. The grant of $ 5,000 will be used to further develop the free point of sale system and to launch a marketing campaign.

Peg City Car Co-op Inc. - Winnipeg, MB
Peg City Car Co-op is the first car-sharing operation in Winnipeg. The grant of $6,300 will be used to renew its website and to enhance its promotional material, to help achieve its objective of a minimum membership base of 80 - 90 members.

Kootenay Columbia Senior's Housing Co-operative (KCSHC) - Castlegar, BC
KCSHC was created by a group of engaged senior philanthropists to address wait lists for seniors' facilities and the lack of seniors' housing and health services. The grant of $15,000 will be used for an advertising campaign to recruit members and promote the upcoming Chateau Grandview, a seniors' independent living complex with 62 units and a community centre providing programs and resources for seniors and people of all ages with physical disabilities.

Umbrella Multicultural Health Cooperative - Vancouver, BC
Umbrella Multicultural Health Cooperative is a member-driven not-for-profit organization. It provides primary and preventative health care services through cross cultural health brokers who provide cultural and linguistic interpretation to facilitate communication between clients and health care service providers. The grant of $15,000 will support the co-op in developing its skills, including the development of physician's contracts, training programs and implementation of an electronic medical record system.

Cedar Opportunities Co-operative - Nanaimo, BC
Cedar Opportunities' vision is to contribute to the full inclusion of people with disabilities who live in the area by providing them with opportunities for employment and work experience. The grant of $10,000 will assist the co-op in developing a plan for opening a café as well as to secure the management of its day-to-day operations.

Nanaimo CarShare Cooperative - Nanaimo, BC
The Nanaimo CarShare Cooperative is a non-profit, car-sharing co-operative which serves the city of Nanaimo and area in central Vancouver Island. The co-op is in its start-up phase and will use the grant of $9,000 towards managing peak demand and increasing its membership base.

Over the past 19 years, The Co-operators has provided $1,570,285 in grants and investments to 118 Canadian co-operatives through the Co-operative Development Program.

About The Co-operators:
The Co-operators Group Limited is a Canadian-owned co-operative with more than $40 billion in assets under administration. Through its group of companies it offers home, auto, life, group, travel, commercial and farm insurance, as well as investment products. The Co-operators is well known for its community involvement and its commitment to sustainability. The Co-operators is ranked #1 among the 50 Best Corporate Citizens in Canada by Corporate Knights, and listed among the 50 Best Employers in Canada. For more information visit www.cooperators.ca.